Blind Date
by Kyoshi7989
Summary: It was obvious that he wasn't my type...but as friends, this might just work out. Toko!friendship fic for BlackKatRaven. Maiko and Tokka mentions.


It was obvious that he wasn't my type...but as friends, this might just work out. Toko!friendship fic for BlackKatRaven. Maiko and Tokka mentions.

Katara's hands pulled and nipped at my hair in the mirror in front of me, braiding and weaving the straight black locks into an intricate style. The look on her face was one of intense concentration, and when I winced at a particularly hard yank, she looked at me sternly.

"Stay _still_, Toph," Katara ordered, sweeping away a corner of my hair with a barrett. "Don't you want to look nice for your date?"

I sighed. "We went over this," I grumbled. "I don't _care_ about my date. I've never even _met_ him before."

Katara's reflection smiled widely in the mirror. I stared boredly back at her. The only reason I'd agreed to go on a blind date was because...well, because...to be honest, actually, I wasn't sure myself. What I _did _know was that I'd had a huge crush on Katara's older brother, Sokka, from the time I was twelve, and that it was high time to get over him. And Katara just _loved _setting people up - it was her thing. I figured it could work out for the both of us. But I didn't know she was going to dress me up like a life sized Barbie.

"That's why you have to look nice for this," she answered, handing me a tube of lipstick. "Here. Put this on."

I cringed. "I don't _do _makeup, Sugar Queen."

"You do now," Katara corrected determinedly. "And don't worry." She added, as if this would be some comfort to me, "It's subtle."

"I'm sure." I rolled my eyes, and opened the tube glumly. Well, at least Katara was right. It wasn't as dark as I'd expected. I applied the lipstick quickly, then set it back on the dresser. "What's this guy's name, anyway?" I drawled, knowing it would annoy Katara. "I forgot."

I was right. Her eyes flashed with irritation, but she forced herself to answer calmly, "Zuko. He's...he's cute," Katara admitted, blushing slightly.

"But not like _Aang_, huh?" I smirked.

Her cheeks darkened. "I guess not," she said carefully.

"Zuko...wait..." I'd heard her mention him before! "Isn't he the one that you guys hated in middle school?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, yes, but we were wrong about him," Katara said, slightly nervous now that I'd caught on. "He's actually pretty nice." She brushed some makeup across my cheeks, and I swatted her away. Just as Katara was diving in for another try, the doorbell rang. I sighed in relief. Safe!

"Okay," she said, talking quickly as I headed towards the stairs, "he'll be awkward and dorky at first, and he takes himself seriously, but...he'll...well...he _might_ open up to you at some point, if he feels like it."

I glared. "What the _hell_ have you gotten me into?" I demanded.

Katara shoved me towards the steps. "_Go_, Toph! He's waiting."

In an act of pettiness, I stomped down the steps. Maybe Zuko would hear my elephant footsteps, and run away before I ever reached the door. No such luck. When I opened the door, there he was, looking as uncomfortable as I was feeling.

"Hi," Zuko said stiffly.

"Hey," I responded. Zuko scratched the back of his head.

"I'm Zuko," he introduced, still awkward.

"The name's Toph Bei Fong." I leaned against the doorway, and realized that I should probably invite him in. As I stood up straight, I asked, "D'you wanna...y'know..." I jerked my head towards the hall. "Come in?"

Zuko shook his head. "The car's out front. We should go." Without waiting for me, he turned around and stalked to his sleek, red car. I followed him reluctantly. Zuko opened the door for me, and I nodded to him in thanks.

"So, how'd Sugar Queen rope _you_ into this?" I asked as we pulled out of the driveway.

"I owed her a favor...and besides, it was the only way I could get her to stop bugging me about Mai," Zuko muttered, lowering his head so that his hair was swept into his eyes. Smirking to myself, I noted that Sugar Queen was dead wrong. It wasn't that hard to crack this nut. But I was genuinely interested, a rarity for me.

"Mai?" I raised an eyebrow. "As in Mai Nakamura? The 'gloomy girl who sighs a lot?'" I prompted further, quoting Sokka directly.

Zuko flushed. "She's more than that."

"But she's your ex," I noted. "So you two still have feelings for one another?"

He looked away from me, embarrassed. "I...I don't...it wasn't our choice to break up," Zuko said elusively.

"Then who's was it?"

Zuko sighed. "Azula's."

"The Ice Bitch herself," I said in wonderment. "Wow. She must _hate_ you."

"Actually, she's my sister...and yes, she does. She and Mai have been friends for a long time." Zuko took a left turn. I continued to watch him. Zuko Roku was more interesting than I thought. It was obvious that he wasn't my type, and the same could be said of me...but as friends, this might just work out.

"What about you?" Zuko asked me. "It doesn't sound like your too upset about Mai. There has to be _someone_."

I was _not_ blushing, dammit. I was totally _not_ blushing. "There's no one," I said defensively, crossing my arms and sitting up defiantly. "I am _perfectly_ happy being single, thank you very much."

"C'mon, I won't tell," Zuko coaxed. "You already know about me and Mai."

This was just ridiculous. I couldn't believe that I was...but, well...

I sighed in defeat. "His name," I revealed grumpily, "is Sokka Kuruk."

Zuko's eyes widened visibly. "Him?" he asked in disbelief. "You like _him_? But he's so...so..."

"Sokka?" I proposed.

"Yeah! He's just so _Sokka_." Zuko shook his head incredulity. "And you're just so...well...so..." He indicated me with a sweep of his hand. "You're just so _you_."

"Tell me about it," I agreed. "_I _don't even think it makes sense." We pulled into the restaraunt parking lot. Across from us, the boardwalk lights blinked, alluring and entrancing. I was sorry that we had to forsake them for a stiff, fancy restaraunt.

Zuko got out of the car, came around to my side, and pulled open the door. I stepped out. "Thanks." We trudged towards the entrance, a new awkwardness between us.

"Let's not make this a date," Zuko declared, obviously nervous. "Obviously, there's no attraction."

"None whatsoever," I concured, glancing doubtfully into the restaraunt. "Hey, what do you say we ditch dinner, and hit the boardwalk? I know of some _great_ corn-dog stands."

Sagging in relief, Zuko answered, "You read my mind. How do you feel about cotton candy and slurpies?"

I grinned at him, and punched him in the arm. "I'd love one! Y'know, Zuko, whatever Katara said about you, I _like_ ya!"

He smiled at me shyly. "Thanks." Then, Zuko realized what I'd said. "Wait, _what_ did you just say? What did Katara say about me?"

I laughed, already striding towards the boardwalk. "Why, Zuko, I have no _idea_ what your talking about."

"Yeah, right." Zuko glared. "If you want that cotton candy..." he threatened.

I shrugged him off. There was no way someone as dorky as Zuko Roku could get between Toph Bei Fong and sugar. Instead, I grinned at him, and announced, "Y'know, Zuko, I think this is the start of a _beautiful_ friendship."


End file.
